Our Story
Hi, this is Andrii and Jon, and we are the faces behind Dillon Coffee Lab.
After years of working in the coffee industry, we saw an opportunity to bring a local coffee shop to the town of Dillon. We didn’t want this to be just any shop though. We wanted to create a space where quality and connection were the driving forces behind all of our business decisions. In the pursuit of crafting the perfect cup, we knew it would have to start with choosing the right producers.
This is Shady and Elias Bayter, the brothers behind Forest Coffee
Since 2010, they have been growing coffee on their farm, El Vergel Estate, in Tolima, Columbia. After years of developing their craft, they started Forest Coffee.
“Forest Coffee was born in 2019 from a vision to unlock the true potential of Colombian coffee by embracing innovation in processing, education, and sustainability, with a mission to connect coffee growers directly with international markets, ensuring fair prices and transparency.” (coffeegreanbeans.com)
From the start, we have
Why is this important? It means we are not only simplifying the entire coffee supply chain to achieve better transparency and better coffee. When we eliminate these additional steps in the supply chain, we can achieve better quality control avoiding common coffee ailments like mold.
When we order directly from El Vergel Estate, who handle every step of the green bean processing from picking the cherries, to
Finally, the benefit of establishing and committing to direct trade partnership is that we are building relationships around the world connecting over coffee. We consider our friends, Shady & Elias and the entire El Vergel Estates family, our mountain to mountain neighbors–and we hope you will too.
Mold free
Our farm handles every step of the process. Doesn’t get stored, but it gets shipped.
Only the farmers touch it and then DCL. Work with neighbors
When we say direct trade, we mean direct trade.
Our Vision
To share high quality roasts with our community, and guide you through the coffee journey in pursuit of your perfect cup.
Our Mission
Create a vibrant and inviting space that honors the coffee journey—from the farmers who grow the beans, to the roasters fine tuning their craft, the baristas who create edible art, and finally, to our customers and mountain community–who share our curiosity in finding and perfecting their favorite cup.
Our Values
1
Respect for the Coffee Journey
Rooted in a deep appreciation for coffee, people, and the process, honoring every step from seed to sip with authenticity, creativity, and curiosity. We prioritize building direct-trade relationships with farmers and working with those who hold their craft to the highest standards. Guided by ethical sourcing, sustainable practices, and dedication to quality, committed to doing the right thing for the planet and community at every level.
2
Mountain to Mountain Mentality
Our coffee shop in Dillon isn’t just about a perfect cup; it's about building a gathering place where diverse stories intersect, dreams are fueled, and the community thrives. With a “Mountain Mentality,” we commit to doing good from the mountains where the seeds are planted, to our community where the coffee is sipped, creating a welcoming place where every cup fuels connection, creativity, and community growth. Give more than you take.
3
Education & Innovation
Simple product, complex knowledge. We have fun continuing to learn and become experts in our craft. We invite you to join us and co-create your perfect cup.
4
Experiment & Play
We are a coffee lab, and this inherently comes with a lot of experimentation to find your perfect cup. We are inspired by exploration, play, and the beauty of the mountains, fostering innovation and fun in every cup. Don’t be too serious. Have fun. Fail fast, fail often, learn and keep going.
5
Collaboration & Co-Creation
Educating and co-creating with others, building a circular economy that uplifts farmers, customers, and the world through meaningful partnerships. Fuel others dreams in the mountains as well. It all starts in a coffee shop.
OUR PARTNERS
Forest Coffee Colombia
Elias & Shady Bayter
It all began in 1995, when the parents of the Bayter Family decided to embark on an agricultural adventure at the El Vergel farm. With passion and dedication, they began to grow avocados, making their farm one of the most productive in the country. However, in 2006 avocado prices dropped sharply due to a disease that severely affected the crop.
It was then, between 2009 and 2010, when Martha, the Bayter's mother, decided to diversify her crops and save costs by introducing coffee varieties such as catimore, red and yellow caturra, challenging the limits of her knowledge.
As interest in coffee grew, the Bayters embarked on a journey of empirical knowledge about pulping and different types of fermentation. Together with Nelson Moya, a coffee enthusiast who showed them different processing equipment, they immersed themselves in the search for specialty coffees from Colombia and certified their farm as "Rainforest" by the prestigious "Federación Nacional de Cafeteros" between 2014 and 2015. Their dedication and love for coffee began to bear fruit.This is how, in 2016, they met Miguel Jimenez, an expert in varietal and specialty coffees, who guided the Bayters in planting varieties such as Geisha, Java, Pacamara, Red Bourbon and Laurina, giving the first productions of these coffees in 2017, marking a milestone in their trajectory.
As time progressed, the farm was modernized, and in 2018, natural coffee processes were implemented, such as aerobic and anaerobic, and silos were acquired for coffee storage. Little by little they became pioneers of innovation and quality. Currently the Bayter family carries out exhaustive research on bacteria and yeasts to control fermentation together with tireless experimentation of processes, reaching unprecedented levels of excellence in their coffees. Today El Vergel has expanded to have more than 28 varietals spread throughout its lands and is characterized for being the first coffee farm in Colombia to develop the kOJI fermentation process, a process that has completely changed the way of developing green coffee.